David Fincher ~ 26 Greatest Films

David Fincher’s films are known for many things, but being traditional isn’t one of them. His grim themes, low-key lighting, and aversion to happy endings work in tandem with unusual subject matter, which makes for some bleak filmmaking. The genius of Fincher is found in his ability to tap into the beautiful dark side of humanity, evoking fear, anger, and intrigue with his audience. So, what kinds of films does a director of his caliber see as important pieces of cinema? In a hand-written note, Fincher lists 26 of what he considers the greatest movies, ranging from a seemingly obvious influence, Taxi Driver, to ones that seem to come out of left field, like Animal House.

This list has been making its rounds for a while, but thanks to Cinephilia and Beyond, it has resurfaced. Looking at the list, I found myself racking my brain to find something that connected them all. Leave it to an amateur to try to make sense of an iconic filmmaker’s movie preferences without any insight. However, some light is shone on his cinematic sensibilities when considering what he said about the difference between “movies” and “films.”